One to Protect
by Navirae
Summary: A day in the life of the Kurosakis…
1. One To Protect

**One to Protect**

* * *

_A day in the life of the Kurosakis…_

_A/N: Warning…major fluff, drama, sweetness to give you cavities ahead (evil snickers). I just wanted to have some fun and write a day in the life of Rukia and Ichigo as they go on in their day to day life. I was considering making this into a series of one shots, but after taking as long as I did with this one, I don't think it is very likely D. Enjoy_!

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A slow smile crept on Rukia's face as she felt the grip of Ichigo's strong arms tighten around her waist. He moved slightly closer to her, nuzzling his face in her hair as he slept peacefully. She could feel his breath tickling her neck, while the rest of his body moved slowly to the steady rhythm of his breathing. Rukia gently placed her hand underneath her head, looking out into the early morning sky. The sun had begun to rise, slowly washing away the dark red hues in the sky. A soft breeze crept through the door that had been left slightly ajar, leading to the garden behind their home.

She sighed as she turned slowly towards Ichigo, who seemed to be in a deep sleep. She couldn't blame him. He had been out with his division for the past few weeks for a dangerous mission and had only returned late last night. He had fallen asleep immediately, only waking up once to wrap his arms around Rukia when she joined him.

She had missed his warm embrace the very first night he had left. They had been married now for nearly six years, and this was the first time he had to go for so long. She snuggled closer to him, reveling in his touch. His bright orange hair tickled her forehead, and she could feel the stubble around his cheek as she caressed it with her fingers. She smiled, secretly loving his rugged look that was intensified with the definite frown he seemed to always have on his face.

She turned her head back and continued to stare out at the sky, unable to move from Ichigo's iron grip. Her eyes slowly began to close again, and she wondered whether she should get another hour or so of sleep before the chaos of the day began.

Yet no sooner had she begun to close her eyes that she felt the hand around her waist slowly loosen. She held her breath as his hands trailed gently to her stomach, rubbing it softly. She smiled again, her eyes closed. "Good morning," she said in barely a whisper. She felt him shift slightly, before his face was gently placed on hers. He buried his face near her neck and gave her a soft kiss, causing her to shiver slightly. "Morning…" he muttered groggily, sleep still evident in his voice.

She raised her hand and gently ran her hand through his hair, feeling a light kiss on her palm when it came close to his lips.

"I don't think I will be able to get up for a week," he sighed with irritation.

Rukia giggled and tickled him lightly near his ear. "Well, you better because you have me in a death grip here. I need to make you some breakfast…"

Ichigo snickered, nibbling on her earlobe. "But my breakfast is right here…"

He groaned when he felt her hand swat his face playfully. "Whhaaatttt?" he whined, a slight pout forming on his face.

Rukia rolled her eyes at and swatted him again. "We have a guest, you know…"

Ichigo frowned slightly, opening one of his eyes and looking over Rukia's shoulder. He sighed, "The hollow outside his room again?"

Rukia nodded with a smile.

Ichigo chuckled lightly, moving his hand to the sleeping figure next to Rukia and gently pushing a few strands of orange hair away from his face.

"Ah well, our son has been getting very creative with where he is seeing hollows, you know…" Rukia mused, as the little boy made a slight frown in his sleep. She smirked as she tilted her head towards Ichigo. "He is becoming more like you each day…"

"Nothing wrong with that..." Ichigo snorted, before raising his brow at a fluffy object wedged between his son's little fingers. It was something small…and pink. Something very familiar, and Ichigo could sense his irritation growing.

"Rukia…what is in Keitaro's hands?" he asked, noticing how Rukia's cheek had suddenly become red. She muttered something, and he would have found the entire situation extremely cute, had he not been suspicious of what exactly was in their son's hand.

He moved Keitaro's hand gently up, and sighed deeply. There, embraced in his son's arm, was a soft chappy stuffed animal.

"Rukia…" he began, sighing in exasperation.

Rukia pouted slightly. "It's not my fault. It's the one you won me at that festival you took me to before we got married…he found it and after that, wouldn't let it go…"

"Where is the toy sword we gave him earlier?"

Rukia rolled his eyes. "He still has that, Ichigo. It's next to the bed. I just don't want that thing poking at me randomly in the middle of the night. I wasn't joking when I said he is just like you. Both of you do nothing but move around constantly at night."

She could feel Ichigo grinning, and she gritted her teeth. "Do not comment on that…"

"Why not?" He snickered, nuzzling his face in her hair again. "Besides, its nothing compared to your muttering in your sleep half of the night…"

Rukia's eyes shot up and she leaned her head slightly to face Ichigo. "Don't even go there again…"

Ichigo could hear the deadly tone in her voice and her eyebrows coming dangerously close when she said this, and decided to tread slowly…for now.

"Well…" he said cautiously. "You _do_ always mutter something while you are sleeping. Sometimes it makes sense, sometimes its complete gibberish."

"I do not mutter…" she said after a moment's pause.

Ichigo grinned, watching her shift uncomfortably. "Oh yes you do, Rukia."

"I…do…not…Kurosaki…"

"Yes…you…do…my lovely Kurosaki…and groan too…" he said thoughtfully, knowing fully well the pillow that was being aimed at his head for this.

Her eyes widened immediately. "Ba…KA…." She growled, hitting him hard with a pillow as he started snickering.

The two stopped suddenly when they felt two enormous pairs of amber eyes staring at them curiously. Keitaro was watching his mother first, and slowly his eyes crept up to his father's face. His eyes lit up and his tiny lips began to crease in a smile. Next thing Ichigo knew, Keitaro had managed to squirm his way out of the covers and was trying to jump over Rukia to get to him. He laughed as he pulled the little moppet with ease over Rukia, tickling him. Keitaro began squealing with laughter as he tried once more to squirm out of his father's hands. Rukia smiled at seeing Keitaro so happy, knowing how much he had missed his father in these few weeks. She quietly crept out of the bed, and made her way out of the room to make breakfast.

She quickly opened the sliding doors to allow the sun rays to seep through the entrance, allowing the warmth of the sun to enter the house. The gentle spring breeze was a welcome, and Rukia stood for a moment there, reveling in the peace and quiet of the early morning. She took the ribbon she had in her hand and wrapped it gently around her hair, tying it up in the back. She noticed that it had gotten a little longer then she usually had allowed it but Ichigo seemed to like her hair that length so she kept it. Not that she would let him know that was the reason.

While she picked up the small mess that Keitaro had left on the floor last night, she could still hear laughter coming from their room, and shook her head. She felt content to know that things were back to the way they were. Truth be told, even though she knew that it was part of Ichigo's duties now to go on these missions after becoming captain, she still felt saddened every time he had to leave for more then a few days…especially now. She sighed, rubbing her stomach. She had only found out a few days ago, and was wondering just how he would react. He had gotten very busy lately with his division, and she wondered whether it was the right time for them, especially since she also wanted to return to working full time at her division as well. Keitaro was already a handful, demanding every bit of her attention whenever she was free. He would always follow her if she was at home, determined to protect her like how he saw his father would do. She mused how much him and his father truly were alike. Ichigo always found it cute how possessive Keitaro was of his mother, teasing him constantly by holding onto Rukia while Keitaro screamed at him and grabbed Rukia as well. She would just sigh, mutter '_boys'_, and resume her work while the two playfully fought over her.

She turned slightly on hearing the voices in the room grow silent and a small patter of feet running towards the other side of the house. As she began placing the rice bowls on the table, Ichigo hobbled in with Keitaro grabbing onto his leg tightly.

"I didn't realize he missed me this much…" Ichigo sighed as he pulled Keitaro off and sat down.

Rukia leaned down and gave a swift kiss to Keitaro, rolling her eyes when she noticed Ichigo looking at them with a slight pout. She went over and placed a soft kiss on Ichigo's cheek before settling down herself. She then noticed that he had changed into his shinigami's robes and frowned. He had told her last night that he was going to take some time off in order to relax, but now he looked ready for another day of work. Ichigo looked over his cup of tea and noticed Rukia staring at him and smiled, knowing the reason for her confusion.

He gently took her hand into his, slowly intertwining their fingers. He lifted her hand and placed a soft kiss on the back. "I'm only going for a little bit. No later then around two. We came so late last night that I didn't have time to fill out the report for our findings. I'm just going to go do that and check up on everything beforehand. Then, I'm all yours…" he said with his usual cocky grin.

Rukia could feel a twitch on the side of her forehead as she sighed in exasperation. She punched him playfully on the shoulder and got up. "I'm going to go to Inoue's new house today. We haven't seen them for so long, and she said she is extremely excited for Keitaro to meet Naoko." She grinned mischievously as Ichigo raised his brow. "Good luck…" he muttered to Keitaro, who watched both in confusion.

.x.X.x.

Inoue was sitting next to her, giggling at the scene in front of them. "He is so much like Kurosaki-kun…"

"A little too much, actually…" Rukia muttered. "So much for play date…this seems more like tag…"

The two watched as their children attempted to play with one another. Or at least Inoue's little daughter, Naoko, tried. Yet it seemed Keitaro would go nowhere near her. Every time she would take a step towards him, he would run to the other side of the room from her, his eyebrows knitting into an all too familiar style.

Suddenly, Naoko bolted towards him giggling, causing Keitaro to let out a high pitched scream and run behind Rukia.

"Keitaro…" she sighed, trying to get him to come to the front of her. But Keitaro grabbed his mother's dress for dear life, refusing to budge from his hiding position. Naoko watched him curiously from her mother's arm.

Rukia looked over at Inoue, who was smiling at them. "I'm so sorry, Inoue. He is just really shy…"

Inoue shook her head. "It's alright, Rukia-san. He just needs to get used to Naoko, and I'm sure he will come around…"

Rukia nodded, turning to see Keitaro still watching Naoko cautiously, his eyebrows knitted tightly together, scowling at her.

The four resumed their trip in the park, Keitaro slowly getting used to Naoko being there, but still not leaving his mother's side.

'_Oh well_', Rukia sighed. '_At least he isn't running and screaming from her anymore…_'

They continued to peruse the shops around Karakura. Rukia had missed the small town. It was where she had first met Ichigo and her friends. It was where she felt her second home was. Not much had changed, and for this she was happy.

Inoue spoke nonstop about what had been going on since Ichigo and Rukia had left for Soul Society, while Rukia continued to just look around. She stopped suddenly at a small baby clothing store without thinking. Her fingers delicately moved against the cold glass window, staring at the display. Inoue stopped when she noticed her friend was no longer at her side, and looked over to see Rukia staring blankly at the small dress in front of her.

"Rukia-san?" Inoue asked hesitantly, walking closer and trying to see what Rukia was looking at. Rukia seemed to snap out of her thoughts when she felt Inoue walking up to her and looked over. "A…it's nothing…let's go…"

Rukia tried to make her way past Inoue, but felt a light touch on her shoulder. She turned to see Inoue looking at her, a small smile playing across her face. "Rukia-san…are you…?"

Rukia could feel her cheeks getting a brighter shade of red and nodded, a sheepish grin appearing on her face.

Inoue's eyes quickly lit up and she took her friend's hands into hers. "That is such great news! Does Kurosaki-kun know?!"

Rukia feverishly shook her head. "No…I found out while he was away. I…I really didn't get a chance yet to let him know."

Inoue nodded. "Well, you should tell him soon! I'm sure he is going to be extremely excited!"

"Do you really think so?" Rukia asked hesitantly. She looked over at Keitaro, who was busy eating an ice cream cone with Naoko. "I just don't know. Having one child is such a handful, especially if he is another Ichigo. Could you imagine another Ichigo?"

"And what if it's a little Rukia?" Inoue teased.

Rukia snickered. "Then those two don't stand a chance…"

Both girls started laughing. Inoue wrapped her arms around Rukia while Rukia looked at her awkwardly. "It's going to be ok, Rukia-san. I know Kurosaki-kun…he is going to be very happy…"

In spite of herself and her doubts, Rukia could feel a small smile forming on her lips. "Thank you, Inoue…"

x.X.x

Rukia sipped her tea, watching Keitaro and Naoko finally playing with each other. Naoko watched in awe as Keitaro chased after a fly with his toy sword, a smug look on his face as she clapped happily. Rukia allowed a small grin to appear on her lips as she turned her attention to the rest of the house. Inoue and Ishida had just moved into a larger home after the arrival of Naoko, and this was the first time Rukia had a chance to see it. It was beautifully furnished with many pictures of the family. She was happy to see the two had settled well into their new lives just as she and Ichigo had.

She heard Inoue leaving the kitchen and appeared with a tray of what looked to be food. It was very difficult to tell with all the weird colors and textures of the different assortment that were piled in the plates. Even Naoko and Keitaro eyed it hesitantly from afar. Rukia bit her lip, praying that Inoue would not insist on her to take a bite.

Inoue smiled as she shoved a plate in front of Rukia. At that moment, Naoko quickly grabbed Keitaro's hand and pulled him away to go to the other side of the room, busying themselves with the stack of toys there.

'_Traitors_' Rukia thought, her eyes narrowing in jealousy at their escape.

She sighed and looked down at her plate. Just the appearance of it made her slightly queasy in the stomach. She inched the fork towards her mouth, noticing how carefully Naoko and Keitaro were watching her.

"Inoue…" she swallowed, suddenly feeling green. "I think its best I don't eat right now…"

Inoue's eyes widened and quickly grabbed the plate from her friend's hands. She placed her hand on Rukia's shoulder, watching her with concern. "Are you alright, Rukia-san?"

Rukia nodded, but still feeling the slight unease in her stomach. They both sat quietly there, while the only sound filling the house were the sounds of Keitaro and Naoko playing.

x.X.x

It was close to seven but Ichigo still had not come. Rukia could feel her irritation growing. True, it wasn't unusual for him to take such a long time, but her sense of panic and impatience to tell him the news was getting to her. Also, there was the fact that Inoue was now insisting that Rukia join her and Ishida for dinner that really got her praying that Ichigo had better come within the next five minutes or he would be sleeping outside for the next month.

She grew startled at the sudden ringing coming from her phone. Pulling it out, she narrowed her eyes at information that there were of two hollows not far from where they were. Inoue agreed hesitantly to take care of Keitaro as Rukia quickly removed herself from her gigai and left the house. Inoue had insisted that she not go out in her 'condition', which caused Rukia to look at her in disbelief before saying she would be fine. She might as well kill a few hollows anyways while she waited for Ichigo; just something to let her frustration out somewhat before she pummeled him.

.x.X.x.

Rukia breathed heavily as she looked at the spot where the hollow had been just a moment ago. Although the fight had been rather tiring, she felt a sense of relief wash over her. It had been so long since she had been out, just taking care of stray hollows. This was who she was, and a part of her that she had begun to miss. Being a mother had taken over her entire being, and being a shinigami took second place. It sometimes depressed her to not be able to be out there with Ichigo as often, but the moment Keitaro would enter her mind, all regrets would completely disappear. She loved him dearly and wouldn't trade that feeling for anything in the world. It was perhaps this that allowed her to make the decision then in the first place to work as a shinigami only part time.

And now there would be another child. Would Rukia lose all this again? She wanted to be a big part of her family's life, but would it mean she would start losing the part of her that craved to be free again, fighting hollows?

She was so engrained in her thoughts that she did not notice the hollow coming from behind. The sudden shadow that loomed over her broke her out of her reverie and she quickly turned around, finding it too late as the hollow unleashed its attack.

Just then a loud shriek was heard before the hollow completely disappeared, leaving a shocked and bewildered Rukia staring. Her eyes narrowed slightly though when she saw the person behind the hollow, a definite frown playing across his features. They stared at one another before Ichigo walked over to her, putting his hand out to pull her up. She took it, all the while not looking at him as she brushed off the dirt from her.

"Rukia?"

She looked at him irritatingly, but noticed quickly that he was staring at her with concern.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly, surveying her closely.

She flushed slightly before shaking her head. "I'm fine. I could have handled that on my own, you know."

Ichigo scoffed slightly and raised his brow. "Didn't seem that way from where I was standing."

Her balled fists met his gut before she turned and started walking away.

"Oye! Rukia!" he yelled, still trying to catch his breath while running after her. She crossed her arm, ignoring his calls, knowing she was being rather childish but at the moment she didn't think of him as her favorite person. He finally caught up with her and grabbed her arm. "What the hell was that for?" he asked angrily.

She glared at him and tried to pull her arm out of his grip, but he held it firmly. She turned her face away, her cheeks red from the fight and from the anger she was feeling…mostly at herself. Her cheeks flushed more when she felt his hand cup her cheek and turn her face to him. Her eyes met his, and he stared intently at her.

He sighed deeply after a moment, and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry I was late," he said quietly. She groaned inward, feeling the heavy guilt of her actions. Why did he have to be so sweet to her when she needed a reason to be mad at him? She pouted slightly. "No, it's ok. I'm just tired. Let's get Keitaro and go home."

He watched her intently for a minute before finally admitting defeat and took her hand into his, leading her back to Ishida and Inoue's house.

It was very late by the time they had gotten there and Keitaro was already half asleep. They quickly thanked Inoue for taking care of him, and made quick excuses as Inoue tried to get them to eat something before they left.

They walked quietly down the street in silence, Ichigo looking occasionally at Rukia from the corner of his eye.

"Are you sure you are ok, Rukia?" Ichigo asked, a frown evident on his face, eyes full of concern as he watched Rukia trail slightly behind him. She looked up to see him watching her very closely and tried to ease his worry by smiling weakly. "Yeah, I'm ok. I told you I was just tired."

When he continued to stare at her in disbelief, Rukia felt a slight bit of irritation. "I'm fine, Ichigo! Seriously, you always worry too much!"

He let out a frustrated sigh, realizing she was in one of her moods again and that it was just best to deal with it later. He walked over to her, and placed his free hand around her shoulder, leading her back to Urahara's house. As they walked quietly, she looked up very quietly to see Ichigo concentrating on the path ahead while Keitaro sucked on his thumb lazily as he played around with Ichigo's ear with the other hand. Rukia sighed in contentment and leaned her head slightly onto Ichigo's chest. She felt his hands tightening around her shoulder, pulling her closer. She smirked, and quickly wrapped her arm behind Ichigo.

By the time they arrived home, Keitaro was fast asleep in his father's arms. Ichigo knelt down slightly, giving Rukia one more kiss on the cheek before heading over to put Keitaro in his bed. She watched him go and walked to their room. Rukia quietly sat on the bed, untying her hair gently. She knew she had to tell him tonight. Holding it off wouldn't do anything really, other then allow her to be worried about his reaction for a longer period of time. Plus, he was already getting annoyed with her for being so moody with him; she might as well give him her excuse.

She gently placed her head on the pillow, her eyes beginning to close slightly. She didn't even hear him come in. Suddenly she felt his arm wrap themselves gently around her waist and pull her back. She found herself resting against Ichigo's chest as he placed soft kisses on the crook of her neck. She smiled as she tilted her head slightly, kissing him softly. As his arms tightened around her, she could feel herself being pulled closer as he nuzzled his face in her hair.

"So…" he whispered quietly in her ear.

"Hm?" Rukia yawned softly, feeling the overwhelming exhaustion seep through her body for the first time today.

"Are you going to tell me what is bothering you?" he asked.

Rukia's eyes widened as the sleepiness she had been feeling just a minute ago vanished in a second.

She stilled, trying to find the perfect way to start the topic. After a minute of finding absolutely no perfect way to say it, she sighed and turned to him.

He raised his brow as she slightly pouted, while playing around with a few strands of his hair. "You have such pretty strawberry hair," she teased as he rolled his eyes and pulled her hand away and took it into his. "Yes thank you. Now I really know something is the matter."

Rukia sighed and brought herself closer to him, burying her face in his chest.

"Ichigo…"

"Hm?"

"You know how I've been kind of…moody…lately?"

Ichigo smirked. "You mean more then usual?" he teased, earning him a hard punch as Rukia tried to scramble out of his arms. He smirked, holding onto her tightly as she continually squirmed to get out of his grip. He pulled her in with little effort and kissed her forehead. "I'm just kidding," he said quietly, gently tickling her ribs and getting a small laughter out of her. He allowed her a few minutes to catch her breath and settle back into his arms before she continued.

"Ichigo, you know a lot of things have changed ever since Keitaro was born. Well of course everything changed and you know they will keep changing. Well, my point is that there is something which I don't know if you will be happy about or sad, or whether you will react at all. I'm feeling all these weird things again and I am seriously freaking out because I honestly don't know what to think about them."

Ichigo just stared at Rukia as she continued babbling, hoping that she would get to the point of where she was heading. "Er…Rukia…"

"And another thing Ichigo, I mean you can't be angry or anything anyways, since technically it's all your fault as it usually is."

Ichigo covered her mouth quickly, rolling his eyes. "Ok, yes, its all my fault. Would you mind telling me what is my fault first…whatever it is, it can't be that big, can it?"

Rukia swallowed. "I'm…expecting."

Ichigo blinked, followed by a long pause between them. "Expecting what?" he asked.

Rukia growled and threw her pillow at him. "Expecting what?! I'm pregnant, BAKA!"

She waited, watching as her last few words slowly began to sink in and Ichigo's eyes widening with realization. "Wait…you're what…pregn-but how??"

_How?! _

Ichigo ran his hands through his hair and she could see the very fear and shock that she had been most frightened of etched all over his face.

"Ichigo?" she asked quietly. He did not reply, but was muttering something she could barely understand.

Rukia stared at him for a moment before sighing in frustration. She shook her head and turned to her other side, curling up and refusing to look at him. She felt a lump forming in her throat and the hot tears that were threatening to spill from her eyes. She felt the pressure from his side lifted and could hear his footsteps going around the bed towards her side. She quickly buried her face in her pillow, refusing for him to see her crying.

She felt him gently lay beside her but still she did not look at him, wanting the tears to stop before she turned to him. She didn't want him to see her weak or affected by all this. True, his reaction was something she had expected, but her heart still ached at seeing him like that. She shivered slightly when she felt his light kiss on her cheek, going slowly down to her neck. He stayed there for a moment, while gently taking her hand.

"Looks like I'm going to have to fight for you with two others now…" he chuckled, placing one more kiss on her neck before positioning his face in front of hers. When she still didn't look up, he sighed. "Baka…" he muttered before grabbing her by her waist and pulling her towards him. She remained stubborn and refused to budge from her pillow, but found herself unable to when she felt a slight tickle on her ribs. Her face flushed and she finally turned to him, her cheeks red as he managed to pull her to him. "Why do you always have to do that??"

He smirked. "Because you are ticklish and it's the only way I can get your attention." He stared at her as she turned her eyes away. "I'm very happy, you know, Rukia."

Her eyes finally turned to him and stare at him skeptically. Yet all doubts seem to vanish the moment she was able to see the genuine happiness his eyes seemed to express. He had a smile on his face, and all form of his usual furrowed brow were gone. She finally smiled, and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. The relief and happiness washed over all the fears she had up to that point. He knew, and he was happy.

They stayed like that for a while, before Ichigo's grip loosened slightly. "Rukia?" he muttered.

"Hm?"

"What were you doing out there fighting that hollow?"

_Oops. _

She quickly buried her face in his chest. "I was doing my duty as a shinigami, that's what."

She could feel his breathing become more rapid and knew he was about to blow. "Rukia…" he growled with impatience.

Rukia groaned. "Please, Ichigo. I'm _fine_. It was an easy hollow and nothing happened right??"

"It could have if I didn't come there in time," he said angrily, still holding onto to her tightly, and she could sense him starting to shake slightly.

Her growing anger quickly subsided as she held him closely. "Look, Ichigo. Being a shinigami is who I am. I don't think about these sort of things when I know there is a hollow on the loose."

She felt his breathing slowly begin to become normal, but there was still anger in his tone. "What is something had happened to you? Do you have any idea the risks of it? I'm not the only person now that needs you, Rukia…Keitaro…and…"

He went quiet and Rukia held him even tighter. "I'm sorry…" she said softly. "It's just…I miss being a shinigami, Ichigo. I want to be back out there too…"

Ichigo took a deep breath and ran his hair through her silky raven hair. "It's fine if you want that, Rukia. I want that for you too because I know its something that makes you happy. But for now, until we welcome our newest addition, please promise me you won't do anything like that again. After that, we'll work something out so that you can go back to the division as well."

She nodded, and pulled herself away from him just enough for their faces to be inches near one another. "I would like that…" she said quietly.

He smiled softly before moving his head forward, lightly brushing his lips against her. She raised her brow at his gentleness before grabbing any piece of clothing she could find on him and yanking him closer into a deeper kiss. His eyes widened fractionally before a smirk appeared on his face. As she pulled away, a mischevious grin appeared on her face again. "It's been this long, and all I get is a peck on the lips, Kurosaki. You are digging a deeper hole for yourself each time."

Ichigo chuckled lightly before pulling her again into a searing kiss, while slowly pulling off the base of her yukata. "I guess I better change that then…" he murmured slowly, gaining a smirk from Rukia.

* * *

_Ok, one shot turned into long shot haha! Hope you enjoyed! A special thank you to my lovely friend and awesome beta, Ava, for all of your help with this piece! May my moving away from the fluttering of the curtains have made you happy happy! xD_

* * *


	2. Ray of Light

**Bleach Asylum IchiRuki FC Challenge - Day 2 Theme**

**Title**: Ray of Light**  
Theme**: Isshin

_This particular drabble is part of the IchiRuki FC fic challenge we are having at Bleach Asylum in honor of Ichigo's birthday. Each day for seven days we will receive a theme to work on, and must write a fic for this. __ If you wish to read day 1's theme "kitten" please be sure to check out the one shot "furry guests" Thank you and I hope you enjoyed :)_

* * *

"Ichigo, you are so mean to papa!"

Ichigo growled and grabbed Rukia's hand, pulling her away from the table. "Come on, Rukia," he muttered, a vein popping on the side of his head.

"But your dad was going to tell me a story of the birds and the bees," Rukia pouted and Ichigo groaned and pulled her faster away from the rest of the family. "We are leaving, now."

Isshin sighed sadly as they two left the room and looked over to the other two occupants who were still there, shaking their heads in a similar fashion to that of his older son.

"Really, daddy, now look what you did," Yuzu pouted a similar one to Rukia. "They didn't even have any of the dessert I made."

Dinner had been...eventful. After losing count of how many years it had been, Ichigo had finally opened up to the fact that he and Rukia were together. Something everyone had already known, but decided to wait until the couple themselves were ready to let it be known. Although after dinner, Ichigo wondered whether it would have been just best to not tell his dad at all. After all, no sooner had the news broke out that he found his father sobbing in front of his mother's picture and going on about how their third daughter would be part of their family forever. Maybe that could have been fine, but certainly not him bringing up Ichigo's baby pictures of taking baths and then mentioning to Rukia how he would like a grandson exactly like that. That is where he just had to draw the line. Rukia herself wasn't too sure how to react, although she really found it difficult to look at Ichigo after that.

But at last...at long last, the dinner was over and Ichigo made his way outside with Rukia to watch the fireworks. Karin and Yuzu followed too, as Isshin watched. Making his way to the window, he spotted Ichigo and Rukia settling themselves on the roof where the fireworks could be seen the best. Isshin smirked when he saw the smile on Ichigo's face as he teased Rukia, his hands wrapped protectively around hers.

"So nostalgic...isn't it, Masaki?"

Heaving a big sigh, he crossed his arm and bent towards the windowsill. "Love...is a strange emotion, isn't it? It changes you in such a way that you wonder how life was without it."

He smirked, turning to the poster of his wife. "His smile...something he lost alongside you that night...I think it has finally returned."

The pain had been too much to bear along with the emptiness that his family had felt for many long years after that fateful night. Yet slowly, but assuredly, things had begun to return to normal. Everything...except his son.

He knew with how Ichigo would go visit the same place where his mother was killed every day that the wound in his heart was too deep to heal. The smile that lit his face upon his mother's presence was long forgotten, replaced by a mask of indifference that covered the pain he wanted to hide from the world. A wall was forged too soon and one that Isshin was never able to break down.

And yet, one night many years later, his son had finally opened up to him as they visited Masaki's grave...the guilt and pain he had felt all these years pouring through the tears that had mingled with the cool raindrops.

_"Why don't you blame me?" Ichigo asked. _

'_Because it wasn't your fault...' he wanted to say. 'Because Masaki would never forgive me if I allowed you to feel as if this was in your control...I would never forgive myself_.'

And it was at that moment...he knew she was there as well. Although hidden within the shadows, her aura had filled the crisp night air. An almost reassurance that perhaps, this was the first step…and perhaps that there was a glimmer of hope.

Soon the place this stranger had in Ichigo's heart had grown to a point that his son was willing to risk his life to protect her. Though he was well aware of the dangers, he could not help but sure that Ichigo would return. He could sense how strong his son had become in just those few months, something he was most certain now was due to this young woman he had only felt the presence of all these months. Not just physically had his son changed, but a strong resolve had brought him out of the shadows that he had nearly been consumed by.

Ichigo had returned, yet a sense of melancholy could be felt and he knew that she did not come as well. He could only wish that Ichigo had the resolve now to move on, since he could feel a very heavy burden lifted from his son's heart. As if the rain had truly stopped…

Of course, he was delighted and surprised upon finally meeting this young woman again when she asked to stay in their home. Though he was suspicious of just how far his son had gone after eavesdropping on them in the bedroom, he quickly saw just what made this young woman who he proclaimed as his daughter so special to Ichigo. He watched as she slowly became the pillar of support for his daughters as they sought comfort for their brother's disappearance, the way she searched for Ichigo for so long, and the way she remained vigilant by his side as he healed from his battle wounds. He knew at that moment that she truly was his third daughter.

For many years after, he watched from afar as they fought side by side, looked after each other's back, and protected each other. He knew not when the hesitation turned to trust, to acceptance, and to the point that they had reached. But one thing was truly certain.

"She is our son's ray of light," he murmured, his eyes watching Rukia's head slowly lean against Ichigo. "As you are mine, Masaki…"

A loud bang erupted outside and quickly pulled him out of his revelry. He shifted his head to see that Yuzu and Karin had returned and were picking up some of the smaller fire crackers they had bought themselves to use.

"Daddy, will you be joining us?" Yuzu asked as they made their way outside.

A grin appeared on Isshin's face as he nodded. "HAH! Of course I will. I was just admiring how quickly my son is becoming a man!"

The sound of a growl could be heard as Ichigo whipped his head and looked straight at Isshin from the roof. "Are you spying on us, old man?!" his voice boomed, and Rukia just rolled her eyes and ignored the ensuing yelling.

"Well I want grandkids soon, my son. So hurry it up!"

"What?!"

"Although I must say the roof is a very unsafe place…"

"Are you kidding me?!"

"…"

Isshin laughed as he grabbed the fireworks and followed his daughters outside. The cool breeze was a welcome to the rather warm night as everyone finally had made their way down to the front of the house and had begun lighting the small fire crackers. Isshin turned slowly and watched as his family's face were illuminated with the soft glow of the moon and the vibrant flares of the fire crackers. His eyes lingered on Rukia, who was helping the girls with their own firecracker and smiled softly. Perhaps, the rain indeed finally had stopped.

* * *

_  
A/N: I decided to continue and post other one shots that I wrote that were T rated here, as well as those that are of course related to the Kurosaki family. So please stay tuned for any more updates =D  
_


	3. A Day at the Beach

**Bleach Asylum IchiRuki FC Challenge - Day 3 Theme**

**Title**: A Day at the Beach**  
Theme**: Beach

_This particular one-shot is part of the IchiRuki FC fic challenge we are having at Bleach Asylum in honor of Ichigo's birthday. Each day for seven days we will receive a theme to work on, and must write a fic for this. For day 3, our theme was "Beach".Inspired by the Bleach Spread that Kubo Tite drew of all six nakamas getting ready to have some fun for a day on the Beach.  
_

_If you wish to read day 1's theme "kitten" please be sure to check out the one shot "furry guests" and day 2 for "Isshin" is posted in chapter 2. Thank you and I hope you enjoyed :)_

_

* * *

  
_

Ichigo sighed in irritation as he watched Rukia take the last swig of the bitter liquid from the bottle in her hand. A triumphant smile was plastered on her face as she looked over to a now unconscious Renji, who probably had passed out two bottles before her.

He stared grimly at the now snoring shinigami before turning to his own half drunken bottle, his head slightly buzzing. This was certainly going to be something he would regret later, if unable to get up anymore was any indicator. Leaning against the chair, he stared out at the beautiful blue ocean. The rest of the beach seemed barren of crowds and the small area they found was even more secluded and nestled in the corner of the long stretch of beach. It was a perfect day to gather with his friends, he thought, as he watched the waves, especially after the numerous battles that they had found themselves in lately. Even Rukia and Renji frequented the human world more then they were used to in order to maintain order, and it was only just a few days ago that they had finally found some peace. After much insistence from Inoue, they finally agreed to take a much deserved break to the peaceful beaches outside of Karakura. Well...as peaceful as they could have gotten.

They probably had gotten lost twice while driving there, with Ichigo having to endure endless questions of where they were from both Rukia and Renji. After finally finding the beach after what seemed like hours, they finally found the spot where they could have their picnic. Yet after having set up a small table, things had gone from bad to worse as Renji apparently had touched a nerve about Rukia and how much she could drink. One thing led to another, and soon Ichigo found himself in the middle of the argument. When he attempted to find some assistance from the others, he found the table completely deserted except for the two bickering shinigamis. Chad had set off to some unknown part of the beach while Inoue and Ishida walked down the end of the beach, hand in hand.

Ichigo groaned and shook his head, wondering if he himself could get out of this situation. But the death glare sent to him by Rukia kept him glued to his seat in the end.

Several bottles later, Ichigo watched as Rukia did a small victory dance in her seat after having won their little drinking competition. He snorted, not being able to help the smile that spread on his face at her happy expression. His smirk widened as his attention moved to Renji, knowing fully well the man would never be able to live down his defeat with her. The midget really wasn't a light drinker at all.

His thoughts were quickly broken when he felt the chair next to him scrap back and Rukia stumbling out to walk on the sand. He cursed lightly when she almost lost her balance, quickly leaving his seat and grabbing a hold of her arm. He probably was in no position himself to be helping, but at least it was far better then her current condition.

"Oye, Ichigo, let's go walk down the beach," she said as she attempted to move with his arm still holding her tightly.

"I don't think so, Rukia. You can barely stand, let alone make it all the way to the end of the beach and back," he sighed, earning him a reproachful look from her.

"I am perfectly capable of walking, Ichigo. And I'm not asking you if I can walk, I'm telling you. If you don't want to, then you can stay with Renji here." she muttered.

Ichigo scratched his head and knew that it was pointless to fight with her. Especially since she wasn't even waiting for his answer and had already taken several steps toward the other direction.

"OYE!" he yelled, chasing after her. Hearing him approaching, she smirked and broke into a run with him close at her heel. The sand was prickling hot, but she seemed not to notice as her pace quickened. He could feel his breathing getting hoarse, but he quickly gained on her and grabbed her from behind. She continued to laugh infectiously as she steadied her balance in his arms.

Ichigo could feel his entire face flush at the close proximity of her. Her body moved with the rhythm of her heart beat, and for a moment the two stayed still as they regained their breathing. "See..." she smirked."A walk was not a bad idea..."

Ichigo shook his head as he hesitantly released her. "That was no walk. We got farther from the others then we should have..." His eyes lingered to the darkened clouds in the distance and scowled when he realized that they would probably come this way soon. The warmth of her fingers entangling with his turned his attention back to her small form as she yanked him to continue moving. "Ah...Rukia..." he muttered, staring at their hands as she continued to move silently.

Yet she did not budge and resignedly, he excused the gesture as a means of keeping her in balance since she still seemed pretty out of it. The remainder of the walk was surprisingly peaceful, and Ichigo could not help but get nervous as she would gently brush his arm whenever she got too close.

But she noticed none of this as she stared out in the clear blue water. She seemed mesmerized with the crashing waves that slowly made their way to her feet. The water was so cool as she hopped a few times when a larger wave would reach her ankle. He smiled and gently pulled her further away from the water, content with the feeling of having her close like this. It seemed it had been an hour almost later when he looked up and found that the clouds had finally made their presence and was now covering the warmth of the sun. He scowled when he heard the sound of thunder looming. He was sure that the weather man had said that it was going to be a clear day...

"This is the first time I have seen such a place," she mused, catching him completely off guard.

"Oh?"

"Hm, its beautiful. I'm glad we got to come out here."

He returned the smile and shook his head. "I don't know about that. I don't think Renji will be able to get up until tomorrow."

"Ah, serves him right then," she smirked, as she suddenly turning to look at him. Ichigo could feel a cold drop of rain trickle down her cheek and looked up to see that the clouds that had been scattered had now completely covered the sky. His attention turned back to Rukia who was looking at him...oddly. There was a look of hesitation and doubt within her eyes as she attempted several times to form the words that she wanted to say.

She took a deep breath. "You have pretty eyelashes..."

Huh?

Ichigo's head swerved down, his eyes widened at the grin on her face. "Uh...Rukia..."

"I always wondered about your hair too...its...so...orange..." she murmured, her fingers playing with a strand of his hair.

Okay, it was definitely time to return back.

"Um, Rukia...I think its going to start raining, so we should be getting back..."

He felt her rise as she shifted onto the balls of her feet, her tiny fingers gripping the collar of his shirt. The light drizzle of rain mixed with the softness of her pink lips as they closed onto his mouth. Ichigo muffled for a moment, completely caught of guard before gently holding her arms to keep her balance. They stood this way for a few seconds as Ichigo debated what in the world to do. It was...a strange feeling, and yet seemed right. Even though he did wonder whether it was because she had too much to drink and would kill him tomorrow if she found out what had happened.

Yet her kiss was insistent, and those thoughts were soon pushed aside as he responded, shifting his head to deepen the kiss. A soft moan resonated from her throat as the kiss turned more fervent and her fingers released the grip on his collar and entangled themselves in his now damp hair. His hands slowly moved to cup her face, his initial hesitance long gone and replaced with an unfamiliar hunger. The wind howled around them and he felt her shiver. Ichigo pulled away slightly and frowned when realizing where they were and that the rain would not cease. "Lets get out of here," he murmured and took her hand into his.

He could feel his vision becoming a blur as the rain continued to pound suddenly on them. They were still too far away to make it safely to the car, so he turned to look for any shelter they could find. He could make out a small cove in the distance that probably could be big enough to keep them both out of the rain. The grip on her tightened as he hurried his pace in that direction. Luckily there was enough room for them both to fend off the pouring rain outside as he settled her against the rocks for support. Taking a deep breath, he turned towards outside and found that he could no longer see the other side of the beach from where they had come. It would certainly be some time before it would be safe again to return.

"Ichigo?" she muttered quietly as her eyes turned to him. "Where are we?"

He shrugged. "Can't tell. But it's safer here then out there. We have to wait...."

She nodded and sat down, curling up slightly to fend off the cold. Ichigo sat beside her, but neither spoke of what had just happened outside. He felt her shiver beside him again and finally turned to her. "Will you be alright?" he asked, noting that both were completely soaked now.

She smirked and nodded. "Ah, I've been through much worse. This is nothing," she added, shaking her hand dismissively, though her words betrayed as her body trembled slightly. Ichigo shook his head, knowing she would never admit to anything like this.

"I'm sorry," she muttered.

He looked at her in confusion. "Huh? For what?"

The slight blush on her face surprised him, since he had rarely ever seen her like this. "Ah, for what happened out there."

He stared at her in silence for a minute as she shifted uncomfortably in her spot. "You don't need to be sorry about that..." He could feel her eyes on him as his face flushed slightly. "Its not like I didn't kiss you back..."

Yes, his face was a deep red tinge now.

"Oh..."

She looked in deep thought as she stared at a single random spot in front of her. Ichigo watched her for only a moment before gently placing his fingers on her chin and shifting her head to face him. The surprise was evident in her expression as he captured her lips. The only sound that could now be heard was the storm that had begun to erupt outside as Ichigo continued to kiss her fervently, his hands slowly encircling her waist to pull her closer. They parted reluctantly broken and pulled away, catching their breaths as their eyes locked to one another.

"Is this okay?" she asked quietly and he smiled.

"Yeah, I think it is..."

She bit her lip in hesitation as he gently stroked her cheek with his thumb. She was so small, and yet fit perfectly in his arms.

"Yeah, it is..." He reassured her as his mouth captured hers. She smiled into the kiss and soon was lost in his embrace as the storm continued outside.

x.X.x.

Ichigo poked his head out and sighed. "Okay, I think we better make our way back. They probably are going to send out a search party."

Rukia groaned as she clutched her forehead, the after effect of the drinks starting to take its hold on her. Ichigo smirked and took her hand to help her out. "That is what you get for trying to drink so much."

"Shut up," she muttered, not removing her hand from his grasp. "It was all Renji's fault anyways. I wonder if anyone went to get him yesterday."

Both looked at each other and then to the side of the beach where they knew they had been yesterday.

"Aaahhh...I think we better hurry..."

* * *

_I was hoping to make this into an NC-17 as well, but with my current computer problems I wanted to make sure I submitted at least this much to the challenge. So for those interested, keep watch of "The Feast" fic for updates hehe._


	4. Kuchiki's Party

**Bleach Asylum IchiRuki FC Challenge - Day 5 Theme**

**Title: **Kuchiki's Party  
**Theme:** Kuchiki Party

_This particular one-shot is part of the IchiRuki FC fic challenge we are having at Bleach Asylum in honor of Ichigo's birthday. Each day for seven days we will receive a theme to work on, and must write a fic for this. For day 5, our theme was "Kuchiki's Party".  
_

_If you wish to read the other day's themes, check out my profile page for links to all of the themes as they come along. Thank you and I hope you enjoy :)_

* * *

He could hear the cars passing his apartment, the drip of the water coming from the faucet, and even Kon's annoying snores from the closet where he threw him in.

But he could not hear that one sound that he was listening most carefully for. He groaned and shifted slightly in his sheets as he stared at the ceiling. The living room was illuminated by the street lanterns below and he watched as shadows playing across the walls. He stilled when he heard a slight cough that he knew was hers, but the entire apartment went silent after.

His eyes slowly turned to the door of his room, and wondered whether she was still awake. Whether she was still mad...

He hated when they got into a fight.

It always ended with her not speaking to him for at least a week and him having to sleep in the living room. He groaned and wondered if things were like this even before they were married, what would happen after. But this time it wasn't his fault, he thought stubbornly. This time he didn't do anything wrong, which infuriated him more that she was upset with him. He just couldn't understand why she wouldn't see it like that...

x.X.x

"Stop fidgeting, Ichigo, you look fine," Rukia muttered as she fixed the collar of his kimono.

"This is stupid, Rukia," he pouted, continuing to move impatiently. "Besides, this is so uncomfortable. Why can't I just wear a shirt and tie for this?"

She eyed him wearily. "Because, idiot, you are going to meet the Kuchiki clan for the first time and since brother is holding this party for our engagement, it's only right to dress like this."

Ichigo sighed in defeat as he watched her eye him critically to make certain everything was okay. "You know, I better get compensation for having to go through this. Your brother is crazy enough and I can't even imagine what it would be like with many of his types around."

Rukia smacked his shoulder playfully. "Stop being so mean. My brother wouldn't have accepted our marriage if he didn't like you and I'm sure everything will go fine. Besides," she grinned and nibbled the bottom of Ichigo's lip. "If you be good, we can have our own private party when we get back."

Ichigo's brow raised as a cheshire grin spread across his face. "Mmmm that sounds good," he murmured, capturing her mouth. Her arms slowly wrapped around his neck as he shifted his head to the side to deepen the kiss.

"Ahem..."

It did not even take a second for Rukia to quickly disentangle herself from her fiancé and swerve to find her brother standing by the doorway, a look of irritation and impatience in his stance. Ichigo noticed her cheeks had turned several deep shades of red as she muttered something.

"Nisama, um...I was just making sure Ichigo was ready to go inside."

"So it seems," he said quietly, his face betraying no emotions as he eyed both of them with their precarious state. Turning, his eyes lingered coldly on Ichigo. "Let us get this over with."

"Lets..." Ichigo muttered with a scowl as Rukia gripped his arm in exasperation.

"Please...not tonight," she pleaded. He rolled his eyes but nodded and remained silent as he followed her. The room went completely silent the moment Ichigo and her entered, which slightly unnerved him. He could feel every eye watching their every move as they walked towards Byakuya who was waiting for them in the center of the room.

Clearing his throat, he motioned to the two. "This is Kurosaki Ichigo, a shinigami substitute from the human world, who asked for my sister's hand in marriage a few days ago. One that I have accepted," he added, his eyes lingering about the room as many muttered to one another. Some were silent throughout while others shook their head in slight disapproval. Ichigo sighed, knowing already that it would take some time for the elders to accept a man of no noble birth to wed anyone from their clan.

But what did surprise him was how quickly Rukia's demeanor had also changed from just a moment ago when they were alone. This...was not the Rukia he knew. Her head was lowered as she was spoken to by many of her family, all of which had a distasteful look on their face as they eyed him on occasions while speaking to her. Her words were barely audible as she spoke, and she barely acknowledged the gentle reassurance he attempted to give her whenever he had a moment with her. He knew it was because they were being watched carefully by the others.

Yet what he couldn't stand the most...was the sadness he saw in her eyes hidden with a smile he knew was forced. She held onto his arm from time to time, but the color on her cheeks was drained of the glow that always radiated her face when she was with him. He wondered how she could completely turn into such a state from one night with being with her family. It made him wonder how she had managed to live so many years under such pressure. When she noticed his concern, she smiled and shook her head. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

But how could he not? Especially when he knew that many of them were not approving of the marriage. They didn't really have a choice since Byakuya had consented, but he knew it weighed heavily on Rukia. A few times through the night he endured the snide comments slipped into conversations so that only he would hear them, but as the evening passed and the disapproval became more evident, he had lost his cool. Especially when it had anything to do with Rukia or him being nothing but a good for nothing ryoka.

But it was after dinner that an argument finally broke out between him and one of the elders, which resulted in Rukia having to drag him away before any more damage was done. He was so angry and even more so that she had scolded him for speaking like that even if the person was talking ill of her. In the end, they both left since Ichigo refused to return inside, and both remained silent towards one another after.

x.X.x

Ichigo sighed and turned uncomfortably on the futon, pulling the sheets up and getting ready for what he knew was going to be a long sleepless night. He didn't realized just how much he needed Rukia in his arms to be able to sleep nowadays...

He stilled when he heard the door to his room finally open and the floor boards creak from her small footsteps as she approached him. Silently, he felt the sheets behind him shift before he felt her warm body press against his while her small arms encircled his waist. His expression softened as he took her hand and placed a light kiss on the palm.

"I'm sorry." she whispered, her arms tightening around him. This finally got him to shift around to look at her, but she had hidden herself underneath the comforter. He attempted to pull the blanket off of her but she refused to budge. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed the blanket and pulled it over his head as well so that they were face to face. Rukia blinked for a moment at his serious expression as he watched her. "Why are you under the sheets?" she asked.

Ichigo shrugged. "I don't know...Why are you?"

Rukia opened her mouth to speak but closed it again. Instead she curled herself slightly into a ball and watched him. "I don't know..."

Ichigo snorted as he stared at her. She bit her lip in hesitation before looking at him. "I'm sorry about today. You were looking out for me and I-"

"Don't be sorry," he muttered, pulling her closer to him. "I shouldn't have lost my patience."

She smiled as she pressed her face to his chest, placing a soft kiss on his collarbone. "You had every reason to. They didn't make it easier...nor did I."

Ichigo sighed and his hands stroked the strands of her hair. "I just hated the way they were treating you, Rukia..."

"I know..."

"Then why? Why do you allow yourself to have to put up with that?"

She pulled away slightly and looked at him. "Because while it does hurt to know that my family don't approve of nearly anything I do, they are not what define my worth to me anymore. Instead I look to those who I know truly care about me....like you, idiot." she grinned and placed a soft kiss on his lips. "As long as I have you, I don't care what anyone else thinks. You have always been the one who has stood up for me and made me feel as if my existence ever mattered..."

Ichigo smiled as he placed a soft kiss on her forehead as his arms encircled her, pulling her closer to him. "Will you really be okay with all this though, Rukia? I mean I was pissed off with what they were saying but…some of the things they mentioned were true. I know I'm no noble or very high classed shinigami but-"

"But you are the man who risked everything, even your own life, to save me countless of times," she interrupted. "Even if it meant going against my brother, which is something I am still amazed even to this day. You are the man that I can be myself around and the one who always makes me want to laugh, be silly, and just…be happy. So I hope that answers your question because if it doesn't, you really do deserve to sleep out here on your own."

He smirked and pulled her closer to him. "Point noted." They stayed that way for a moment, before a small grin appeared on his face. "Oye…Rukia…"

"Hm?"

"Didn't you say I would get compensation for wearing that damn kimono? I'm telling you, that thing was not comfortable one bit and taking it off was even more hellish."

Rukia smirked and turned her face upwards to look at him. "Then you should have kept it on and we would have had some fun with that."

Ichigo groaned as Rukia shuffled through the sheets and managed to straddle him as he looked at her. Her hands slowly traced the contours of his exposed chest. "But I suppose this will have to do," she murmured as her head descended to capture his lips. He grinned into the kiss and pulled her to him. Slowly rising from the futon, he managed to grasp the back of her legs and pull her up. Their lips still engaged, they made their way to their bedroom.

* * *

_A/N: Short, yes, and I probably could have added a little something to push the rating for this one hehe, but I didn't have enough time. Maybe later I will add another version, but until then, I hope you enjoyed!_


	5. Bounded

**Bleach Asylum IchiRuki FC Challenge - Day 6 Theme**

**Title:** Bounded**  
Theme:** Homework**  
Rating:** T

_This particular one-shot is part of the IchiRuki FC fic challenge we are having at Bleach Asylum in honor of Ichigo's birthday. Each day for seven days we will receive a theme to work on, and must write a fic for this. For day 6, our theme was "Homework".  
_

_If you wish to read the other day's themes, check out my profile page for links to all of the themes as they come along. Thank you and I hope you enjoy :)_

* * *

Ichigo lurched over as he rested his arms on his thighs to keep him in balance. Beads of sweat trickled down his forehead as he leered at the midget in front of him who had her arms crossed, a confident smirk on her features as she stood casually before him without a scratch. He wished he could say the same for himself, but he knew these bruises and aches would not be gone for a couple of days.

"Oye, Rukia, haven't we practiced enough for today?" he muttered, trying to catch his breath as she shook her head.

"Nope. Your homework from taicho was to master at least a basic kidou spell by tomorrow. So we have to at least get you to do a simple binding spell."

Ichigo groaned and turned to the untouched bento box that was to the side of their training ground. They had been practicing all day and yet even after all this time he could barely bind Rukia for more then a few seconds. However she had devised her own set of rule that for each time he failed to keep her binnd for more then a minute, she would bind him for five. Now he was annoyed, hungry, and sore. If they were to battle it out with their zanpaktous, he would have had a chance to beat her. But he knew she was exceptionally good in kidou and there was just no way he could ever bind for even half a second.

Whether she took pity on him or the growling of her own stomach was finally getting to her, she finally allowed them to settle down for dinner. They ate in a peaceful silence and after a moment's pause, Rukia placed her bento box down and settled herself in front of Ichigo. He blinked several times at her sudden movement but did not say a word as she placed her cool hand on his cheek. Warmth seeped through her skin which he instantly recognized as a healing spell. He had forgotten that he got hurt during one of his trainings in his division before he met up with Rukia. He recognized the spell very well as he placed his hand over hers. She smiled softly and resumed her work as he continued to watch her.

"Oye…Rukia?"

"Hm?"

"When we are done with the binding spell…teach me this."

Her face turned to his, her brow raised in question. "What, healing?"

He nodded and placed a quick kiss on the palm of her hand after she had finished. "Just in case," he murmured, pulling her towards him and capturing her lips for a gentle kiss. She smiled as they reluctantly parted and ruffled his hair.

"Fine, but at least lets get you mastered in the basic art of binding."

She rolled her eyes as he groaned, collapsing on the ground. "Oh come on, Ichigo."

When he refused to get up, she put her hands on her hip and bit her lip in contemplation.

"Fine, here is the deal. If you can learn this by tonight and keep me bind for one minute…" She hovered above him as he watched her carefully. Lowering, she nibbled on his lip playfully as he groaned. "I will make sure you are amply rewarded."

"Mmmm…" he muttered in between kisses as she pressed her tiny body against his. "How so?"

His eyes widened as her hands slowly slipped through his robe and massaged his chest. Her lips descended to his ears, and whispered. "We can try chocolate this time."

It was all it took for him to be in his spot for training within a second. Rukia was still staring at him in surprise on the ground where they were just a moment ago as he stared at her impatiently. "Come on, Rukia, let's get this done with."

She rolled her eyes and stood up, getting ready on her side. "Okay…let's hope we have better luck this time…

x.X.x

"Bastard…" she muttered, trying to fight the restrain as he smirked confidently from the side.

Ten minutes. That's all it took for him to be able to bind her tightly enough that she was struggling to get herself loose. Not to mention it didn't help that he was teasing her constantly by counting down to a minute.

"34…35…36 …"

"When I get out of this bind…"

"Then I might just keep you like that for a bit…45…46…47 …"

She growled in frustration as he continued to watch her struggle in amusement. "You really should give such incentives. It works wonders," he mused.

"Oops…57…58…59…one minute." He said triumphantly, releasing the bind as Rukia nearly lost her balance. However she was quickly stopped by his strong arms as they wrapped around her and pulled her up.

She attempted to steady her breathing as he gently fixed her ruffled hair by combing his fingers through it. Unable to hide the grin, she shook her head. "Idiot…"

"Ah," he replied, a smile on his face as they stood there for a moment.

She watched as he continued to caress her cheek and couldn't help but feel a sense of pride at seeing him becoming stronger each day. He kissed her sweetly and before she could try and get him to train for a bit more before they called it a day, found herself being shunpoed to their living quarters.

"Wha-what are you doing, Ichigo?!"

"You said bind you one time, and I win…ssoooo…"

"Idiot! We could have trained more!"

"We can later…"

"But how do I know you really mastered it?!"

"I'll practice on you tonight…"

"…"

"Now…chocolate, was it?"

* * *

_I hope you enjoyed. Yes, we all would have loved to know what happened next, but stay tuned for the final theme for that huhu. Also, thank you everyone who have commented so far on the fics. I love getting to hear feedbacks from readers. So thank you. I will definitely comment to everyone once I finish this challenge hehe. _


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